Always Song in the Water

Curated by Gregory O'Brien and Jaqui Knowles, Always Song in the Water explores the oceanic environment of Aotearoa and our place within the wider Moana Oceania. This new iteration builds upon the exhibition's earlier presentation at the New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa in 2023, ahead of an envisioned tour to Japan. 

Taking its title from O'Brien's Always Song in the Water: An Oceanic Sketchbook, the exhibition brings together works by leading artists that reflect on the ocean as a site of connection, memory, movement, and exchange.

Through painting, sculpture, and other artistic practices, Always Song in the Water considers themes of voyaging, whales, conservation, cultural continuity, and the deep relationships between people and the marine environment. The exhibition acknowledges the Pacific as an interconnected space shaped by histories, knowledge, and ongoing relationships between land, sea, and community.

For this presentation, the exhibition has been expanded with a selection of new works by participating artists, introducing further perspectives into an evolving conversation about the ocean and its significance within Aotearoa and the wider Pacific.

Always Song in the Water is presented at Gow Langsford Gallery in partnership with the New Zealand Maritime Museum. 

Opening Saturday 28 November, 2-4pm, register your interest below.